Joe Strummer, Mescaleros - Streetcore
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Free Music Notes for Streetcore
Free Music Review: Fitting Farewell From Joe
Hit: 5 Stars
Joe Strummer never got the respect or recognition he deserved. And considering how he was held in such high esteem by fellow musicians and critics, that's saying something.
It isn't too much a stretch to say that Joe Strummer was one of the key figures in fusing disparate music styles, helping speed the evolution from segregated genres to the hyphenated styles we have today. If it weren't for The Clash's (at the time) revolutionary integration of reggae/african rhythms with guitar-based rock in Sandinista, bands like Rage Against the Machine or Limp Bizkit wouldn't have found the balls to fuse hip-hop & rap with screaming guitar and face-melting rock.
Joe continued to blend music with The Mescaleros, and albums like Rock Art & the X-Ray Style and Global A Go-Go are direct predecessors to the sort of "intellectual elite" music now favored by hipsters and trendoids. Yet for all their pretentions, the current bands cranking out embarrassingly ponderous music aren't able to reach the level Joe Strummer could.
This dedication to exloring world music makes the songs on Streetcore even more poignant, since it marks a return to the basic elements of good and pure rock & roll. Streetcore is the most "rock" album Joe has done since his apex on London Calling, and some of the songs on Streetcore nearly reach those lofty heights.
This u-turn back to rock makes perfect sense. Having spent the better part of 20 years sniffing around almost every other possible musical style, returning to guitars is just the circle closing. Unfortunately, we'll never know whether this was just Joe coming back to his roots to rejuvenate himself, or if he was going to delve deeper into the origins of rock - rockabilly, blues, and old-school r&b.
In a sense, Streetcore is an ideal end to Joe's career. He started as a rocker, and ended the same way. And the album itself ends very fittingly. After the last notes of the last song fade into silence, we hear Joe saying, "That's a take."
RIP, Joe.
Free Music Review: Strummer's Coda nothing short of Brilliant
Hit: 5 Stars
No idea how I stumbled across the album, but I find it to be an amazingly fresh, yet familiar collection of songs. The band is extremely tight . . so many terms could be applied - crunchy, razor-sharp, melodic. It takes brilliant musicians to make it sound so effortless - yet interesting.
And then there's Strummer's voice - perhaps the most amazing instrument of the bunch. It's working class all the way - but so special and soft (I keep thinking young Brando? . .it's tough but beautiful). Can you think of anyone who sounds like Strummer? I cannot . . .and I find the emotion he can deliver to be so true - there's simply no false note, no feigned feeling in any track.
Couple of songs that deserve mention: "Coma Girl" is a great song . . and it kills me the way he sings "gang" . .. it's tough man . .tough and melodic. Brilliant song . .lots of fun - the eternal detached artists longing . . .
Get Down Moses is my favorite track of the CD. How can a guy from working class England have such a deep reggae soul? He just owns the genre . . .and makes it is own with his distintive phrasing / emphasis. Lyrics are biblical - both in nature and scope . . .so, SO few could get away with singing lyrics like this. I consider myself the ultimate outsider . . .but get the feeling I'd follow Joe's crusade with songs like this. They move me man.
All in a Day is a razor of guitar and energy. Big back beats pound a frenetic pulse and one thinks of the Beatles song "woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head" but COMPLETELY modernized to the frenetic times we live in. This is Red Bull in the morning - not the cup of Joe.
What's most impressive to me - again - is Strummer's voicings across a wide variety of meters / melodys. In an age when the word "genius" is so overused I feel compelled to say that Strummer was more than a genius . .but a truly unique artist . . .absorbing so many influences but stamping his signature on all of them.
Free Music Review: Streetcore
Hit: 5 Stars
Joe Strummer And The Mescoleros-Streetcore *****
Released in late 2003, Streetcore is easily Joe Stummer and The Mescaleros' best album. Where Globel A Go-Go, and Rock Art And The X-Ray Style had moments of weakness, Streetcore shines bright from the openeing notes of 'Coma Girl' to the last drone of 'Silver And Gold.'
Streetcore was released just weeks before Strummers untimely and tragic death. The power, the pain, and the conviction that Strummer had been known for his entire career comes across here clearer then ever before. He had finally realized he needs not impress anyone anymore, because he had already impressed us all, many, many times before.
His song writing chops come through on songs like 'Come Girl' 'Get Down Moses' 'Arms Aloft' and 'All In A Day.' His use of imagry and socialy concious attitude is premenant everywhere.
His love of Reggae is brought to the forfront of one of the stand out tracks 'Get Down Moses' which may be the very best thing Strummer ever wrote, maybe even better then his solo work as well as his legendary work with the phenomonal Clash.
Also on the cover of Bob Marley and The Wailors' 'Redemption Song' his love of reggae comes through. This is better then the original. May seem impossible but Strummer kicks it up a notch yet without changing the slightest thing. Divine!
'Long Shadow' is without any shadow of a doubt the very esence of Strummer. The vocal harmones are reminicent of early Clash, but even at that with a the grace of the Clash, Mick Jones and the boys could have never hoped to create something so angelic. The lyrics rival that of Strummers all time best and even that of his hero's Woddy Guthrie and old Mr. Zimmermen (Bob Dylan.)
Streetcore is the end all and be all of Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros. Even though it may play out like a solo album none of this would have been possible without his boys.
Free Music Review: Some of Joe's and the band's best!!
Hit: 5 Stars
I, like so many others still cannot believe the death of legend Joe Strummer. It would only go to figure just as Joe and the Mescaleros are starting to really put out some awesome music the untimely end would come. "Streetcore" was just released earlier today and I have listened to it continuously and I am truly impressed with the entire effort. From the music and lyrics to the production of the disc, the Mescaleros truly put their hearts behind this album. Strummer's voice is strong as usual and mature enough where he knows how to use it better than ever. The band is tighter than ever and you can tell they are all having a good time of it all! Each of the 10 songs are standouts of their own from "Coma Girl" to the surprising rendition of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song", who else could pull off a version of it like Strummer??? No One! It is also good to see that "Long Shadow" was included, Joe wrote it for one of the recent Johnny Cash "American series" albums and it did not make that cut, but the song is truly a Strummer classic! "All in a day" reminds me of some of the work Joe did with Mick Jones' Big Audio Dynamite's "No. 10 Upping Street" (as writer/producer). As I said I can go on and on, the album is awesome, and at times haunting, Joe, you will not be forgotten!! The packaging of the CD is tastefully done, and remindful of the old days if you are a Clash fan with quotes and what we would see as half thoughts or Strummer catch phrases. I have only one complaint about the whole album, I was hoping there would be more of a tribute to Joe in the liner notes, the man was an absolute legend and steam rolled the way for many of these "so called" punk rockers and revolutionary rockers. Buy this disc!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! The world can only hope there are some other hidden Strummer works that can be released one day!Free Music Review: Best work since London Calling....
Hit: 5 Stars
I appreciate that comparing this album to London Calling is a bold statement, perhaps a bit exaggerated, but I can't remember the last time I bought an album and then listened to it around 20 times....within 24 hours.This album is that good, with incredible variety. Several of the songs harken back to the reggae-rock days of London Calling while others break it down to the simplest form with just Joe and an acoustic guitar (to cover Marley's Redemption Song). The rest of the tracks are somewhere in the middle, with funky grooves or ballsy riffs.
Speaking of Redemption Song, this version is most impressive because Joe doesn't exactly have a "good" voice. By that I mean someone who you'd consider a "crooner". However, his voice works so well here - you can almost feel the anguish in his voice that he got the hard way by living a hard life.
There are other tracks on this album that are simply gorgeous in their anthems and near-orchestral arrangements. I never thought I'd say that about a Joe Strummer tune, but man it's great stuff.
My only complaint about this album....with only 10 tracks, you simply want to hear more. Maybe that's why I've been playing it over and over again.
Joe Strummer was an icon of rock and roll and his legacy is left well intact, both as a solo musician and as a member of what was arguably the most influential band in rock history. Think about it for a second. If you could travel back in time to see any three bands perform live, how could you not pick the Clash as one of those three?
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